sea-kissed 🌊 || j.jk+k.th

{19} hope studio 🌊

Oof, I'm so sorry I managed to forget to post two Sundays in a row !! I'm posting 2 chapters in a row today, I hope y'all forgive me 🙏🏻🥺

***

The rest of the week went by in the blink of an eye.

Seokjin stayed reasonable with the amount of work he gave Jungkook, but still made him order a latte once a day ; and everyday he'd pass by the By The Seaside café, and chat with Taehyung or Yoongi, when the café was empty. Day after day he learned to know them better, and by the end of the week he considered them as his friends ; they were both patient, and genuine, and didn't ask too many questions.

He didn't see Jimin at all however ; Taehyung had explained that with the show opening next Thursday, Jimin spent everyday at the studio to rehearse with his fellow dancers.

Jungkook's lifeguard schedule wasn't too harsh on him either ; he only had had to help a little girl find her father, an old man to get his cane back, and spent a few evenings chatting with Go-eum -the old lady he had swum with on his first day. Taehyung was a little busy with the café, -being the only waiter while Jimin was at the studio-, and he hadn't joined Jungkook on the beach ever since that afternoon they had spent offshore. But the memory of that day was still vivid in his memory.

Before he had realized it, Jungkook was soon on his way to the beach, at 7PM on Saturday night. He had asked Seokjin if he could take his evening off, and his boss had agreed with a mysterious grin ; Jungkook had gotten used to his extravaganza, and didn't think about it too much.

Guided by the column of smoke and the sweet perfume of grilled meat, he easily found his way to the barbecue.

"Jungkook ! You really came !"

Jungkook barely had the time to recognize Jimin's voice ; the boy was already squishing him in his arms. Jungkook smiled and returned the hug.

When Jimin finally let go of Jungkook, he immediately started pouting.

"I can't believe it's been a week and you still haven't sent me a single text. I felt like a middle school girl waiting for her crush to answer, seriously."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Jungkook laughed.

Jimin accepted his apology with a smile.

"Fine," he said, "then let me introduce you to my teacher. Hobi-hyung !"

Behind Jimin, Taehyung, Yoongi, and a man he had never seen in Gimyong yet, were taking care of the grill. The man Jimin had called looked up, and his face lit up with a radiant smile.

"Oh, hi! You're Jungkook, right ?"

The man put down the meat he was cooking and jogged up to him.

"I've heard a lot about you, the Gimyong newcomer. How do you like it here ?" He asked while holding out a hand for Jungkook to shake.

Jungkook took it, and answered ; quickly enough, he learned that Hoseok was opening his "Hope Studio" in the closest city, and that he'd been Jimin's dance teacher for 5 years.

Jungkook also greeted Yoongi, who was very busy with taking care of the barbecue, and Taehyung, who was very busy with watching Yoongi taking care of the barbecue. Soon, most of the meat was cooked and ready, and they all gathered on the sand to chat and, most importantly, to eat. For years Jungkook had fed himself of instant ramen and supermarket kimchi ; it was delightful to taste the home-cooked pork and beef on his tongue.

As Jungkook was having a slightly-too-intense good time eating his pork, he heard a car honk on the road, just a few meters behind them. When he turned around to see who was interrupting their celebration, he saw Seokjin and Namjoon getting out of their car.

"Hyungs ?!" He exclaimed, pouring meat juice all over himself.

Seokjin approached him with a satisfied smile on his lips and two bottles of wine in his hands.

"Did you really think I'd give you a day off if I wasn't there to ruin it ?" He asked.

"Don't listen to him, he's just there for the meat," Namjoon said. "Congratulations on your studio, Hyung ! And good luck for your show, Jimin," he added while handing them each a cold beer.

All seven of them sat in a circle around the barbecue and began to chat the night away.